David vs. Goliath..Canadian Hot Rods magazine covers cars from coast to coast

Well, it’s hard to believe but this issue marks the end of a full year publishing cycle.

It’s been busy, frustrating, exhilarating, nerve wracking and a pain in the ass, but mostly it’s been a blast.

I decided to do this magazine after a few years of writing freelance articles for other publications that, while serving a niche in the Canadian gearhead community, didn’t really inspire me.

So, with each issue I’ve tried to put things in this magazine I felt were missing in other Canadian publications. With a year under our belts and a summer cruising season ahead, I feel the magazine can only get better, and hopefully, bigger.

Obviously, a one-man show with a few meagerly compensated contributors and a very understanding wife, can’t compete with the big-budget U.S. publishing houses that flood the Canadian market with great hot rod magazines with almost no Canadian content. Dream big, or go home. Right?

The Canadian hot rod scene may be smaller than its counterpart to the south, but it’s not less vibrant and innovate and it deserves a magazine of its own that accurately reflects the hobby. I think Canadian Hot Rods & Classics is that magazine and I hope you’ll help me out by subscribing, buying advertising, picking up a copy or just writing in to tell us what you like, don’t like and would like to see in the magazine.

If you’re handy with a camera, give us a call – we’re always looking for someone to shoot features for us from the West or East coast.

That last line brings me to another issue. The one thing I’ve encountered while travelling to cars shows from Regina to Nanaimo is some pretty hardy regionalism. “Oh, you’re that Vancouver Island magazine” or “You’re that B.C. magazine.”

While this is geographically true, Canadian Hot Rods & Classics is striving to be a national magazine.

We publish articles from Ontario (there’s two in this issue, on page 11 and 16) and want to grow our content and readership east of Saskatchewan. Obviously, as a Western Canada-based magazine we’ll cover a lot of Western Canadian cars and events, but it’s not this magazine’s intention to cater to a regionalist attitude. Whenever I hear somebody call us “just a Western Canada magazine” I wonder how they describe Hot Rod -when the majority of its content is centered in one state of a very large country.

Same could be said for the two main competitors to this magazine, one based in P.E.I. and the other in Ontario. In the end, CHC needs as many readers and advertisers as it can get. It’s a tough gig, this magazine market, but with your support I think we can make it. So,if you’ve been thinking of subscribing, do it now. If you want to advertise, please give us a call.

We’re growing, but we need your help to keep growing and to become the magazine Canadian gearheads deserve.

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In this issue, you’ll notice our one-year subscription rate has changed to $20. As of Volume 2, Issue 1 (July/August) our cover price will increase to $4.95. These rate changes are necessary to pay for increased printing costs due to our glossy covers and increased colour page-count.

I don’t see the cover price changing again, and the subscription rate will only change if we go monthly.

I hope you’ll agree that would be a good thing.

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Everybody makes impulse buys, right? Gearheads are no different.

Only problem is, instead of buying an Aero bar, DVD or issue of Star Weekly at the grocery store checkout, our impulse buys tend to be a little bit larger. Say, in the 4,000 pound range. An impulse buy can also get us in a little more trouble with our better half. They don’t understand that when we see a derelict vehicle, rusting into oblivion we can’t help but think “there’s something worth salvaging on that thing.”

Which brings me to my neighbour’s 1973 Chevrolet Camper Special. For years this 3/4 ton beast sat in the driveway, it’s right front tire flat, extended bed full – and getting more full – of household castoffs and garbage by the year. Most people would look at this as an eyesore begging to be put out of its misery.

Not me. I saw the 350 badges on the grille and right front fender and thought, it would be a shame to see that 350 go to waste. Probably even a 4-bolt main and it never hurts to have a spare Turbo 350 laying around the shop. Blame it on the trauma of seeing hundreds of cars and related engines and parts going to the crusher (see End of an Era on page 42) but one day I saw my neighbour and blurted out, “Ever think of getting rid of that truck?”

“Yeah, lately,” said my neighbour.

In less time than it takes an impact to remove a lug nut, I made up my mind. “How about I give you $100 bucks and take it out of there this week?” “Sure,” said my neighbour.

A few days later I’m up one SBC, a Turbo 350 tranny, a shovel, a bag of beer cans and I got $158 bucks for the carcass from the crusher.

OK, maybe the crusher’s not all bad.